This oven roasted cabbage with tahini sauce is an easy go-to side option for weeknight dinners. Cabbage is a humble, budget-friendly veggie option that gets a makeover when dressed in the delicious tahini miso sauce.
Cabbage is one of those vegetables that often gets overlooked, but it can be a delicious and cheap option for healthy meals at home. Roasting the cabbage tames the bitter flavor, brings out the natural sweetness, and makes the leaves melt-in-your mouth tender.
We’ve been hooked on this oven roasted cabbage with tahini miso sauce for weeks now! I created this recipe when I was tired of having the same few roasted veggies for dinner on repeat (ie. broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts).
The beauty of this recipe is that you can prep the sauce while the cabbage is in the oven (or on the grill) and it’s a relatively hands free side. Toss a couple vegan sausages onto the pan when it’s almost done roasting for a simple plant-based protein.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- A simple, but pretty side dish option for a variety of weeknight meals.
- The flavorful tahini miso sauce is very versatile and can be used on a variety of vegetables in addition to cabbage. Also, if you love tahini – you’ll also enjoy my tahini smoothie with dates!
- A great way to use up any leftover cabbage when making coleslaw.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cabbage: you’ll need 2 small heads of cabbage for this recipe, so I like to use one purple and one green cabbage for extra color. The sauce also works really well for eggplant. Just slice into rounds, brush with olive oil, and bake or grill like you would the cabbage.
- Olive Oil: Brush the cabbage with a bit of olive oil to help with the browning process while baking as well as to keep it from sticking to the baking sheet.
- Tahini: Adds creaminess to the delicious sauce.
- Miso: Use white miso which has a more mild flavor than other varieties. Miso adds some umami and saltiness to the sauce. You can usually find miso in the refrigerator section of the grocery store near the tofu.
- Soy Sauce: use tamari if you want to make this a gluten free dish.
- Maple Syrup: adds just a hint of sweetness to balance out the sauce.
- Garlic & Ginger: add a bunch of flavor. Use fresh if possible.
How to Make Oven Roasted Cabbage
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel off a couple of the outer layers of cabbage since they are often bruised and dirty. Now, slice the cabbage in half and then into 1 inch thick wedges. You can leave the stem intact as this helps keep the wedges together when cooking.
STEP 2: Arrange slices on baking sheet, brush the top with olive oil. Flip each piece and brush the second side with olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on bottom and leaves are tender. (Some recipes call for flipping the cabbage halfway through baking, but I find I get better browning on bottom of the cabbage when I leave it alone.)
STEP 3: While the cabbage roasts, make the tahini miso sauce by adding the tahini, water, miso, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and sriracha to a bowl and whisking to combine.
STEP 4: Once cabbage is done roasting, drizzle it with the tahini miso sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes:
- Don’t line your baking sheet with parchment or a silpat mat. You want the cabbage to have direct contact with the sheet pan for optimal browning.
- Buy smaller heads of cabbage for this recipe. I find the smaller ones are less bitter and more tender when roasted. Plus, you can fit them on the pan much better.
- You can use either green or purple cabbage for this recipe. I like using one of each since it looks so pretty when served up together.
- Use fresh ginger for best results. Tip – store your ginger in the freezer so that it keeps longer. Just use a vegetable peeler to take off the thin skin and then use a microplane to grate it into whatever recipe you need.
- Don’t feel like making the sauce? Simply sprinkle the cabbage with a bit of garlic powder, salt, and pepper before roasting for a delicious but simple side.
- The tahini miso sauce is also delicious on roasted or grilled eggplant.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make the tahini sauce in advance to save prep work on the day you make the cabbage. Roasted cabbage can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, pop it in the toaster oven or on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees oven for about 5 minutes.
Yes! Since it is still the middle of summer here, we have made this cabbage recipe on the grill as well. Cook over high heat for about 30 minutes or until charred and tender.
We like to serve this with a couple of vegan sausages (like Tofurky or Field Roast) and a baked potato. You could also pair it with BBQ tempeh OR cubed sautéed tofu and cooked rice.
Health Benefits of Cabbage
- A serving of cabbage has over 50% of the RDA for vitamin C which is an essential nutrient for skin and hair health and may lower risk of heart disease.
- Since it belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family (ie. broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc), cabbage contains glucosinolates or sulfur containing compounds which may reduce your risk of cancer.
- Cabbage is a great source of vitamin K which works with calcium to maintain strong, health bones.
- Large diet studies suggest that people who eat more foods high in anthocyanins, a plant pigment found in fruits and vegetables like cabbage are at lower risk for heart disease.
More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
- Vegan Baked Ziti
- Roasted Cauliflower, Feta, and Lentil Salad
- Sheet Pan Sausage, Veggies, and Pesto
- Vegan Curry Soba Noodles with Crispy Tofu
Oven Roasted Cabbage with Tahini Miso Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Roasted Cabbage
- 2 small heads cabbage
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Tahini Miso Sauce
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamari if gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger (about 1/2 inch ginger root)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut cabbage into thick 1/2 inch slices and arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, flip and brush other side.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
- While the cabbage roasts in the oven, add the sauce ingredients (tahini, water, sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, miso, rice vinegar, sriracha, ginger, and garlic) into a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- To serve, drizzle roasted cabbage with sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds, and parsley.
Notes
- Buy smaller heads of cabbage for this recipe. I find the smaller ones are less bitter and more tender when roasted.
- You can use either green or purple cabbage for this recipe. I like using one of each since it looks so pretty when served up together.
- Use fresh ginger for best results. Tip – store your ginger in the freezer so that it keeps longer. Just use a vegetable peeler to take off the thin skin and then use a microplane to grate it into whatever recipe you need.
- Don’t feel like making the sauce? Simply sprinkle the cabbage with a bit of garlic powder, salt, and pepper before roasting for a delicious but simple side.
Nutrition
Make this recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram @dietitiandebbie and tag me #dietitiandebbie
Comments & Reviews
Kelly says
Hi! Making this now and noticed maple syrup is mentioned in the text but isn’t in the ingredients list. Sounds delish!
Deborah Murphy MS, RDN says
Thanks for catching that! Added the maple syrup to the ingredient list above.